


I'll walk you home

by Writing_in_SIN



Series: 100 Ways to Say 'I Love You' [5]
Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Genre: Child Abandonment, Child Neglect, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Houjou Emu Needs A Hug, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Soul Bond, Unconditional Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:40:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21718561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writing_in_SIN/pseuds/Writing_in_SIN
Summary: When he sees a harried looking Director Kagami holding a drunk and grinning Emu by the back of his shirt collar like a misbehaved cat, Parad thinks that humans really are amusing just as they are weird.
Relationships: Houjou Emu & Parad (Kamen Rider Ex-Aid), Houjou Emu/Parad
Series: 100 Ways to Say 'I Love You' [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538683
Comments: 6
Kudos: 54





	I'll walk you home

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: I'm on a ParaEmu/EmuPara agenda and I'm taking y'all down with me XD
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy the fic and if you can, please leave a comment or kudos!
> 
> ______________________
> 
> TIMELINE: Post-canon: Parad is still under probation within CR— pre-relationship.

* * *

**"I'll walk you home."**

* * *

Humans are _weird_.

Parad is sitting with Poppy as they watch pandemonium unfolds before them.

"...Poppy?"

"Yes?"

Watching as the humans sing and dance, pints of beer in their hands, Parad shakes his head and feels mystified. "Humans are weird."

Beside him, Poppy lets out a giggle before she nods. "They are."

"What exactly are we celebrating here?" Taking a sip of his own beer, Parad peers down at the beverage; not understanding why anyone would make a big deal out of alcohol. Then again, Bugsters can't get drunk so that might have something to do with it.

Without warning he's glomped from the side by Nico, making him tumble into Poppy with a squawk.

"We're celebrating the fact that CR has new members, duh!" Nico hooks her chin on his shoulder with a grin. "Everyone's now a member of CR and it's awesome!"

After apologising to Poppy, he shrugs Nico off and gives the girl a flat look. "If you're drunk, I'm throwing you into the restaurant's pond, Nico."

"I'm 18!"

Poppy leans over from his side to give the other woman a stern glare. "Still under drinking age, Nico-chan!"

Nico pokes her tongue out at them and Parad takes the chance to reach over and squish Nico's face, examining the girl's eyes before letting go with a satisfied nod.

"She's sober," Parad reassures to a concerned Poppy who sighs in relief.

Nico pouts as she settles on his other side. "Like I'd get drunk before I'm of age. Taiga would nag me to my grave if I did."

"Aw, your future husband sounds pretty strict," he teases, nudging Nico with a snicker while Poppy giggles.

Nico elbows him which he dodges with a laugh. "Shut it, gremlin. And he's...just a stupid crush." Nico folds into herself as she looks away.

He and Poppy share a glance.

"Nothing wrong with a crush, Nico-chan," Poppy reassures, sending Nico a gentle smile.

Downing his beer in one gulp, Parad then snaps his fingers at Nico. "Poppy's right. Besides, crush or no, it shouldn't stop you from giving Snipe hell after all. Lots and _lots_ of it."

"You really like stirring up trouble, doncha?" Nico comments with a snort, mouth tugging into a smile.

Parad gives Nico a shark grin at that. "Yup!"

"Parad-kun!"

Glancing up, he finds a harried looking Director Kagami...who appears to be holding Emu by the back of his shirt collar like a misbehaved cat while the paediatrician smiles dopily at him.

"Please take Houjou-kun back to his apartment," the director pleads. "He's been challenging and betting against the other patrons with games and he—"

"Hasn't stopped winning?" Parad finishes with amused pride.

The director furiously nods his head as he despairs. "If this continues, he'll end up cleaning everyone out of their money!"

"How competitive _are_ you two?" Poppy mutters, giving him a look.

"Very," he and Nico answer, deadpanned before Nico points to Emu then at him.

"Trust me, Poppy, you haven't seen them at the height of their notoriety. The gaming world was collectively terrified whenever they were matched up against M." Nico grins as she puffs out her chest. "Except me, of course."

Parad barks out a laugh at that. "Like hell! You were shaking like a leaf at that Tekken tournament!"

"Was not!" Nico shrieks in indignation.

"Was too~!" Both he and Emu crow back before they share a grin.

Laughing, he gets up from his seat to gather Emu in his arms and turns to bow his head at Director Kagami; trying to remember his limited manners.

"I'll make sure to get him back safely, Kagami-inchou."

The director sighs in relief. "Please do. But since you're still under probation, please come back as soon as you can, Parad-kun."

Emu raises his head at that, giving the director a bleary glare. "Still?"

To his credit, Director Kagami appears apologetic. "I'm afraid so."

"But—"

Parad tightens his hold on Emu. "It's fine, Emu. The fact that I'm not locked up like Genm is a hell of a blessing already. 'Sides, it's not permanent."

When his friend? Partner? Ally? (Parad isn't sure what he and Emu are to be honest. It's only been a month since his resurrection after all) slumps into him with a petulant grumble, Parad turns away to hide a grin. It's a pity he missed a lot of Emu's medical school years (since he only shadowed Emu on certain occasions; wasn't too interested in medicine despite knowing the jargon). It would've been hysterical to see Emu mingling in goukon and such if this is how Emu was like when he's drunk.

"Since you're drunk, teleporting is out of the question. So..." Throwing one of Emu's arms over his shoulder, Parad holds onto the doctor. "C'mon, I'll walk you home."

"...don't have one," Emu mumbles as he stands on shaky feet and leaning heavily against Parad.

Poppy bounds over to fret over Emu; straightening his jacket and looping his bag onto his back. "What are you talking about, Emu? Of course you do!"

"Yeah and you're heading back there now," Nico says, smoothing out the bird's nest that Emu's hair has become throughout the night. "What? Did being drunk made you think you're homeless or something?"

Emu doesn't answer, hanging bonelessly against him. Then, without warning, images flash across his mind and while it's too fast and too incomprehensible for him to pick up, Parad still knows what they are.

Neglect. Empty house. Dead mother. Abandonment. The absence of that thrice damned Kiyonaga who dared calls himself a father.

Before it can go beyond that, Parad gently guides those memories back to Emu's side of their connection. Those memories have always been too private; too raw, and he knows that Emu won't appreciate it if they resurface and put on display for Parad to witness as well. Neither he nor Emu have a lot of conventional privacy when it comes to the bond between them and considering that he's barely made up for his mistakes; especially against Emu, he rather not push his luck and hurt Emu by his accidental trespassing.

"Ah!" Director Kagami exclaims, a fist against his palm. "Houjou-kun probably meant that he doesn't remember his address and Parad-kun has never been there before, so..."

Poppy secures a scarf around Emu's neck and looks up at him in concern. "Do you want me to write the address down for you, Parad?"

"It's fine," Parad reassures, rearranging his hold on Emu when the doctor lists to the side. "I know where it is."

Poppy's brows furrow in confusion. "You do?"

Wincing, he glances over to where Genm is...who seems to be just as roaring drunk as the other humans; raving in his cell. Lazer is much the same from the looks of it. Huh. Parad supposed that Bugsters who used to be human still have enough of their human DNA in their system to get inebriated.

"Yeah...well, Genm had all the basic info about the doctors; including their addresses. I was the one that usually checked on them for any updates."

Poppy hangs her head with a groan, pinching the bridge of her nose. "That Kuroto..."

"As if he wasn't creepy enough," Nico mutters.

Lips quirking into a smile, Parad makes his way to the exit with Emu in tow. "Anyway, we'll be heading out now." Reaching out, he raises Emu's wrist to wave at the others. "Say goodnight, Emu!"

Emu mumbles incoherently at his side while the girls giggle over him.

After saying their goodnights, they head on out.

"Whoa!"

When Emu tilts dangerously close to the roadside on the way, Parad thinks there might be a safer and quicker way to bring Emu back to his apartment than what they're doing now. Teleporting is out of the question since Emu isn't lucid and Parad doesn't know how teleporting will effect a drunk person. So maybe a piggyback ride?

"That might work...'scuse me, Emu."

Surprisingly, there's little to no protest from his former host as Emu easily climbs onto his back and wraps his arms around Parad's neck. Parad glances back though when Emu snuffles into his neck, as well as sensing a pinprick of awareness from the doctor.

"You awake?"

"...a bit," Emu mutters before he lets out a weary sigh. "Parad?"

"Hm?" Parad replies quietly, weaving between the crowd and studiously ignores the curious looks people sends their way for the odd picture he and Emu are surely making. It's a good thing he threw on the hood of Emu's jacket over the doctor's head before he carried him.

Emu lets out a shuddering sigh. "...you saw them? The memories?"

"Not on purpose," Parad reassures but falters when he feels a swell of shame from Emu. Wincing, he ducks his head. "Sorry."

Emu presses his face between Parad's shoulder blades and shakes his head. "I don't mind if it's you."

Snorting, he grimaces at his boots. "I think you're still drunk."

"Maybe," Emu agrees, laughter bubbling out before he arranges his arms around Parad's neck into a hug. "But I mean it, though."

"...Thanks." Smiling, he glances up at the night sky and idly wonders what the stars look like since the city lights make it too bright to see them. Parad wonders if he's allowed to know. "Emu?"

Emu nuzzles his neck. "Mmph?"

"Can I say something?" When he feels Emu nod against him, Parad takes a risk. "I don't think you need to worry about not having a home anymore."

There's a sense of confusion from the bond and Parad scrambles to get the words out.

"That is...uh..." He's never been good at comfort or reassurance— that's always been Emu, but he wants to try for his former host if for no one else. "Don't you humans have a saying? What was it again...ah!" Parad lights up when remembers. "Home is where the—"

"— heart is," Emu finishes, amusement colouring his voice.

"That's the one." Reaching a crossing, he waits for the light to turn green. "If home isn't a place for you, maybe it could be people? Like your friends in CR."

Seconds pass and the light turns green. As he walks on with the other pedestrians, Emu continues to stay silent despite Parad sensing the doctor is still awake.

"I'm overstepping, aren't I?" Ducking his head in shame, Parad looks away and wonders if there will come a time when he won't mess up with Emu. "Sorry."

"No," Emu denies, who sends a wave of remorse to him at his silence. "I think you might be right."

Parad blinks, surprised. "I am?"

"Yeah." There's a swell of warmth and affection from the bond; comforting in its presence. "And...I think I might've found that person too."

"Really? That's great!" Perking up, Parad tries to catch Emu's eyes over his shoulder but the human ducks his head. "Who is it?"

Laughing, the doctor shakes his head and hugs Parad tight, pressing their cheeks together. "I'll tell you once I'm sure."

The bond thrums like a heartbeat between them; filled with emotions and feelings that make Parad feels so safe that he wonders if it's okay to allow a sliver of hope to bloom in his heart.

"Yeah?"

"Yup." Emu shifts to smile against his jaw. "You'll be the first to know."

Chuckling, he leans their temples together. "Well, alright then."

Parad may not know what kind of relationship he and Emu have but he thinks that it's okay. They've got all the time in the world now to figure it out.


End file.
